Flared produce carton with corner cut-outs

ABSTRACT

A produce carton suitable for use in merchandising easily damaged food products such as tomatoes, strawberries and cane berries comprises a single blank of paper board cut, folded and glued to form a certon having cut-away ventilating openings in its side corners and an outwardly flared open top.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,866,819

Goebel Feb. 18, 1975 [5 FLARED PRODUCE CARTON WITH 2.406254 8/1946 Ringler 229/16 c ux 021 C l [75] Inventor: Henry R. Goebel, Ventura, Calif.

[ Assignee: wesmrfl 'P a Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Camanno, Cahf- Attorney, Agent, or FirmEugene D. Farley [22] Filed: Aug. 6, 1973 [21] Appl. NO.Z 386,110 57 ABSTRACT I A produce carton suitable for use in merehandising 3 3; easily damaged food products such as tomatoes, strawberries and cane berries comprises a Single blank of [58] Field of Search 229/31 R, 3O, 16 C p board cut, folded and glued to form a certon [56] References Cited having cut-away ventilating openings in its side corners and an outwardly flared open top. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,286,879 6/1942 Thew 229/30 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures lZa 38 1a I80 46 28 FLARED PRODUCE CARTON WITH CORNER CUT-OUTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cartons. It pertains particularly to produce cartons of the class made from folded paperboard and used to merchandise fruits and vegetables.

In merchandising easily perishable and easily damaged fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, strawberries, and the various cane berries, a paperboard carton is needed which will preserve the freshness of the product and additionally will not damage it by mechanical contact with sharp edges.

The conventional paperboard carton has solid side walls and accordingly does not provide for circulation of air around the produce as is required to maintain its freshness. The conventional paperboard carton also has sharp upper corner edges which penetrate the contents of the carton, mutilating the fruits or vegetables contained therein, promoting spoilage, and liberating fruit or vegetable juices which soil the carton and surrounding areas.

It accordingly is the general object of this invention to provide a paperboard carton particularly suitable for the storing and merchandising of perishable and easily damaged fruits and vegetables, which has means for aerating the contents of the carton and thus preserving its freshness, and which does not have sharp upper corners capable of physically damaging the carton contents.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a paperboard produce carton which may be inexpensively manufactured on a large commercial scale from single blanks of foldable paperboard; which in the assembled condition may be stacked and nested for economy of space during storage and transportation; which may be easily assembled for use; and which has a structural strength adequate for the intended purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a paperboard produce carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and comprising a substantially rectangular bottom panel having four scored edges. Four side wall panels are hinged one to each of the scored edges of the bottom panel.

At least one adjacent pair of side wall panels has at least one of its adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form a corner opening in the side wall of the assembled carton. Each of the side wall panels has a scored upper edge and a side wall segment hinged by one of the scored upper edges to the side wall panel.

Glue flaps are hinged to the side wall segments and extend laterally therefrom to overlap the adjacent side wall segments for adhesive attachment thereto.

The side edges of the side wall segments are outwardly tapered for outward flaring thereof in the folded and glued condition of the carton.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a paperboard blank which may be folded and glued in the assembly of the hereindescribed produce carton.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the carton in assembled condition.

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the carton, and FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the carton.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates adie-cut blank of foldable paperboard from which the carton of my invention is made.

The blank comprises a bottom panel 10; four side wall panels l2, l4, l6 and 18; four outer side wall segments 20, 22, 24, 26; and a plurality, at least four, of glue flaps 28.

Bottom panel 10 whichforms the bottom of the finished carton, is of generally rectangular outline. In the illustrated embodiment it is square. It is dimensioned to provide a carton of the desired capacity and is defined by four scored edges 32, 34, 36, 38. These are produced by conventional scoring blades employed during die cutting of the blank.

Side wall panels 12, l4, l6 and 18 are hinged to bottom panel 10 by the score lines which accordingly form hinged connections enabling folding of the carton components into a carton of precise dimensions.

The side wall panels have a width determined by the corresponding dimensions of bottom panel 10 and a height predetermined to provide a carton of the desired depth.

The defining side edge of at least one component of one adjacent pair of side wall panels is concavely recessed to form a corner opening in the side walls of the assembled carton. In the illustrated form of the invention, all of the defining side edges of the four component side wall panels are thus recessed as indicated at 12a, 14a, 16a and 18a respectively. The recesses pref erably are cut in arcuate form in the illustrated manner. They are cut to a depth which determines the size of the ventilating openings to be created in the side corners of the carton. This in turn is determined at least partially by the size of the produce to be contained in the carton.

The outer margins of side wall panels l2, l4, l6, 18 are defined by score lines 40, 42, 44, 46, respectively. As in the case of score lines 32, 34, 36, 38, these score lines are impressed in the substance of the carton blank during the forming operation.

Side wall panel segments 20, 22, 24 and 26 are hinged to the corresponding side wall panels by means of score lines 40, 42, 44, 46. They serve the function of providing an outwardly flared top to the carton. This in turn eliminates the sharp upper corners usually pres ent in cartons of this class which are instrumental in inflicting mutilating damage on the carton contents.

Side wall panel segments 20, 22, 24, 26 have a width determined by the width of the side wall panels to which they are connected. They have a height determined by the amount of flare desired in the finished carton.

Their respective side edges 20a, 22a, 24a, 26a have an outward and upward taper which determines the amount of flare of the open top. In a preferred example this is provided when the tapered side edges lie at an angle of about 40 to the associated score lines.

Glue flaps 28 extend laterally from, and are hinged to, the outwardly tapered side edges of the side wall panel segments. There are at least four such flaps preferably arranged in pairs, two on each of a pair of opposed side wall panel segments.

In the illustrated embodiment, two of glue flaps 28 are hinged to side wall panel segment by means of score lines 20a and two are hinged to side wall panel segment 24 by means of score lines 24a.

The glue flaps are disposed at an angle directed inwardly toward the body of the carton to a degree such that when the carton is assembled the outer margins of all of the side wall panel segments and glue flaps will lie on a continuous horizontal plane.

The glue flaps have their inner faces coated with adhesive in the usual manner. They are dimensioned to overlap the adjacent side wall panel segments sufficiently to make possible the adhesive attachment of the one to the other.

The carton may be assembled in folded and glued condition using the techniques and apparatus usual for this purpose. In its assembled condition, it has the appearance illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

It will be noted that in the finished carton the concavely recessed side edges of the side wall panels provide the cutouts or apertures 50. These serve to ventilate the carton contents without introducing sharp edges which might damage the contents. Also, side panel segments 20, 22, 24, 26 in their assembled relation create a flared carton top. This serves the dual functions of presenting the contents attractively to prospective customers and of eliminating the sharp edges which normally are present in a straight edge carton and act to lacerate the carton contents.

Having thus described my invention in preferred embodiments, I claim:

1. A produce carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and comprising:

a. a substantially rectangular bottom panel having four scored edges,

b. four side wall panels each hinged by one of said scored edges to the bottom panel,

c. at least one adjacent pair of side wall panels having at least one of their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form a corner opening in the side walls of the assembled carton, and

d. a plurality of laterally extending glue flaps hinged by score lines to side edges of the side wall panels and arranged to overlap adjacent side wall panels for adhesive attachment thereto in the assembled condition of the carton,

e. each of the side wall panels having a scored upper edge and a side wall segment hinged by said scored upper edge to said side wall panel, the side wall segments having outwardly tapered side edges for outward flaring of the segments in the assembled condition of the carton, the glue flaps being hinged to said segments and being positioned to overlap the adjacent segments for adhesively securing them thereto.

2. The produce carton of claim 1 wherein all of the adjacent pairs of side wall panels have their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form corner openings in all of the side wall corners of the assembled carton.

3. The produce carton of claim 1 wherein the plurality of'laterally extending glue flaps are arranged with one pair of glue flaps on each of a pair of opposed side wall panels, with the component glue flaps of each pair being arranged on opposite side edges of the side panel by which they are carried.

4. A produce carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and comprising:

a. a substantially rectangular bottom panel having four scored edges,

b. four side wall panels each hinged by one of said scored edges to the bottom panel,

c. all of the adjacent pairs of side wall panels having their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form corner openings in the assembled carton side walls,

d. each of the side wall panels having a scored upper edge and an outwardly flared side wall segment hinged by one of said scored upper edges to each of said side wall panels,

e. each of said segments having outwardly tapered side edges for outward flaring of the segments in the folded and glued condition of the carton, and

f. a plurality of laterally extending glue flaps hinged by score lines to the outwardly tapered side edges of a pair of opposed side wall panel segments and arranged to overlap the adjacent side wall panel segments for adhesive attachment thereto in the assembled condition of the carton. 

1. A produce carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and comprising: a. a substantially rectangular bottom panel having four scored edges, b. four side wall panels each hinged by one of said scored edges to the bottom panel, c. at least one adjacent pair of side wall panels having at least one of their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form a corner opening in the side walls of the assembled carton, and d. a plurality of laterally extending glue flaps hinged by score lines to side edges of the side wall panels and arranged to overlap adjacent side wall panels for adhesive attachment thereto in the assembled condition of the carton, e. each of the side wall panels having a scored upper edge and a side wall segment hinged by said scored upper edge to said side wall panel, the side wall segments having outwardly tapered side edges for outward flaring of the segments in the assembled condition of the carton, the glue flaps being hinged to said segments and being positioned to overlap the adjacent segments for adhesively securing them thereto.
 2. The produce carton of claim 1 wherein all of the adjacent pairs of side wall panels have their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form corner openings in all of the side wall corners of the assembled carton.
 3. The produce carton of claim 1 wherein the plurality of laterally extending glue flaps are arranged with one pair of glue flaps on each of a pair of opposed side wall panels, with the component glue flaps of each pair being arranged on opposite side edges of the side panel by which they are carried.
 4. A produce carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard and comprising: a. a substantially rectangular bottom panel having four scored edges, b. four side wall panels each hinged by one of said scored edges to the bottom panel, c. all of the adjacent pairs of side wall panels having their adjacent side edges concavely recessed to form corner openings in the assembled carton side walls, d. each of the side wall panels having a scored upper edge and an outwardly flared side wall segment hinged by one of said scored upper edges to each of said side wall panels, e. each of said segments having outwardly tapered side edges for outward flaring of the segments in the folded and glued condition of the carton, and f. a plurality of laterally extending glue flaps hinged by score lines to the outwardly tapered side edges of a pair of opposed side wall panel segments and arranged to overlap the adjacent side wall panel segments for adhesive attachment thereto in the assembled condition of the carton. 